A powerhouse of local talent delivered a stunning, memorable performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio in A minor at Arvada’s Trinity Presbyterian Church last evening.

Three high-profile friends and collaborators — Colorado Symphony principals Yumi Hwang-Williams and Silver Ainomae, along with Hsing-ay Hsu, artistic director of Pendulum New Music at the University of Colorado-Boulder — turned in a rousing, resonant reading of the composer’s only work for piano and strings, providing the opportunity to experience their collective artistry in a more personal, intimate context.

The 45-minute chamber work cast in two sweeping movements is rarely performed, in large part because of its formidable technical demands on the musicians. . . especially the pianist. But it’s also an emotionally exhilarating ride for the artists and audience alike, and not for the faint-hearted.

In top form, violinist Hwang-Williams and cellist Ainomae delved deeply into the work’s lush lyricism, while pianist Hsu’s breathtaking virtuosity and intuitive phrasings underscored its masterful thematic variations. Throughout the sometimes songful, sometimes soulful and often grandiose passages, the well-matched trio delivered a committed and cohesive performance.

The program opened with a polished and persuasive reading of Mozart’s Piano Trio in B-flat Major, K. 502 that was marred only by an acoustic imbalance in which the piano at times overpowered the strings. But Hwang-Williams and Ainomae evoked all the grace and warmth of the elaborate work, playing off each other with ease and spontaneity.

The program then turned to Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise Op. 34, No. 14 in which Hwang-Williams, especially, captured the emotional depth and subtlety of the work’s haunting, familiar melody.

The “Second Tuesdays at Trinity” series continues with solo pianist Silvana Santinelli on April 10 and the Colorado Chamber Players on May 8.

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